Game apparatus.



E. P. MBEKEE.

GAME APPARATUS.

- ABPLIOATION FILED MAY 26, 1909.

968,249. Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

' E. P. MEEKERT GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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- 1 11 f f/zz k I EDWARD P MEEKER, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An les, 1910.

Application filed Bay 26, 1909. Serial No. 498,391.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. MEEKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

My invention relates to a game apparatus, particularly one designed to play a game similar to baseball.

For a full description of-my invention, its merits and the wayto use the same, reference is had to the accompanying description and drawings. v

Although the specific details ofthe mechanism of my invention inaybe varied without departing from the spirit thereof, neverthele'ss the preferred embodiment is shown in the drawings, in which- Figure 1- is a perspective of the entire playing board; Fig. 2 is a section of the sameon-line 2-2 Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section through line 3-3 Fig. 2; -Fig. 4 is a section through line 44Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section through line 5 -5 Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a section through line 6-6'Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is. an enlarged plan view of the pitching device; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section showing-the preferred mounting of a playing-man.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 indicates the entire playing board which may be. of any convenient size, and preferably of the shape shown. Around the edge of the board is constructed a raised flange '1 to resemble the'inelosing fence of a baseball field, and also to keep the playing'ball within the liniits of the boa-rd. The board is marked off into a playing diamond '2, and also by means of lines fl into an out field. The lines 4 represent, in the ordinary baseball field, the foul line. The outer field is pref-' erably marked off by concentric circles 5 into'segmeuts, which segments are employed in framing up the rules of the game to determine whether a onebase, two base or three base hit is made, Although various rules may be applied to this game, in the present instance it is intended that when the ball comes to rest inside the first concentric circle, the batter is to be credited with a one base hit, inside of the second circle and outside of the first a two base hit, and so on, and'outside of the outer circle'in the locality of the flag 6 a home run. Inclined surfaces 7 leading upwardly from the surface of the board are preferably disposed at convenient places adjacent the out field fence .-.but spaced therefrom for the purpose of assisting the batter in making a home run. A rule may be made in the use of the game that the ball rolling up an incline 7 and over the fence gives the batter credit for a home run. Since the inclines 7 are spaced a slight distance from the fence, the ball will need sufiicient momentum to carry it over the gap, for otherwise it will drop short of the fence and count only for a three base hit or less.

At the usual positions of players in the field devices 3 are located representing the playing men, and these are preferably mounted by means of pegs-3 set in holes 3 formed in the board, such as shown in Fig. 8. Several of these holes are provided to give each playin ment. I also pre er to make these playing men of some pliable material, such as soft lead, in order that they may be bent into various shapes for most eifectually forming stops to the ball when it is rolled out in their direction. Adjacent each playing man, in cluding the pitcher and catcher, is a recess 11 formed in the board large and deep enough to receive the playing ball 26 should it chance to lodge therein. Also around each player is described a circle 11*, the ob ject of this circle being that a rule may be made in playing a game that a ball coming to rest within this circle gives the player a put out. It is also intended in the rules designed for the use of this game, that a ball rolling into one of the holes 11 is the same the batter out, and it is obvious that various modifications of the rules maybe made with respect to men being on base, and so on, when this happens.

The two operating parts of this game consist of, the mechanisms for operating. the pitcher and batter, which will now be described. In the pitchers box of the diamond is formed a recess 11, shown more clearly in Fig. 6, and at the bottom of this recess is located a tappet 22 fixed to a rocking rod 23, mounted in bearings in the lower part of the playing board. The rocking rod 23 extends beneath the board outwardly to one side thereof, and upon the end is formed a knurled knob 25, or any other convenient finger operating part by which the rod. 23 may be rocked in its bearings. Also preferably coiled around the rod 23 is a spring 24,

man a limited adjustshown more clearly in Fig. 5, which tends to turn the rod to keep the tappet 22 down in the recess. Immediately in front of the recess 11 is an indented plate 11, upon which the playing ball 26 is adapted to be placed for receiving its initial blow. It is obvious that when the knob .is turned against its spring the tappet 22 will strike against the ball- 26 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and send it rolling toward thebatter 10.

The mechanism for operating the batter 10 is shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 8 and at. The batting device is pivoted in the playing board at. 10 (Fig. 3) and has fixed at its lower end a pinion H. Engaging with the pinion l4 is-a longitudinal sliding rack 15 fixed to a 'rod 15, which slides insuitable guideways at the lower part of the playing board. A coil spring 17, abutting at one end against a collar 15 of the rod and. at

the other end against the main body of the board, is provided to normally throw the rod inwardly in the direction of the arrowv hold it in this position.

in F igl 2. A pivoted latch 20 actuated by a spring 21 tends to catch the rod 15 when it is pulled outwardly and hold it in its outward position against the force of the spring 17. A convenient knob 16 is fixed to the outer end of the rod 15, and a cushion 18 is preferably inserted in the inner guideway for the rod to form an abutment therefor. It is obvious that when the rod 15 is pulled outwardly against its spring it will turn the batter 10, which is provided with a bat 13 extending therefrom, around in position for batting, and'that the latch 20 will In playing the game one player operates the rod 23 to send the ball 26 rolling toward the batter. and this may be done with different degrees of force, according to the will of the player. i The other player controls the latch 20 and may release the same with his finger at any time desired, upon which the batting member 10 will swing around on its pivot and if properly timed to the speed of the approaching ball, the projecting rod 13 will strike the same. As before stated, various rules may be made to suit the players based upon the movement of the ball 26 when hit and its final resting place.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a game apparatus in combination, a

playing board marked off to indicate a baseball diamond, a batting member pivotally i mounted in said board and having a pinion fixed thereto, a spring actuated sliding rack engaging said pinion and a hand-operated latch for holding said rack in retracted position.

2. In a game apparatus in combination, a playing board marked of]? to indicate a baseball diamond and an outer field of play, said field having recesses formed at various places therein, devices of pliable sheet ma-- terial representing players located adjacent said'recesses, means for 'adjustably disposplaying board marked oif to indicate a baseball diamond and an outer field of play, said board being provided with means to receive devices representing players, said devices ,adapted' to be disposed at different positions in said field of play, a batting member mounted on said board, a mechanical pitching device or tapping means consisting of a rocking tappet mounted in a recess in said board below the playing surfacewof said board and having an operating rod connected thereto, a spring for retracting said tapping means down Into said-recess and for normally holding said tappet down in said recess, and an indented plate in front of said recess, the indentation of which plate furnishes a seat for the playing ball.

4. In a game apparatus in combination, a

playing board marked off to indicate a baseball diamond and'an outer field of play, devices of pliable sheet material representing players, means for adjustably disposing and sustaining said devices in different positions in said field of play, a batting member, and a separate missile strikingmember.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this 21 dayof May,- 1909.

EDWARD P. MEEKER.

' Witnessesz BEATRICE Mrnvrs, IDA G. GILMORE. 

